The clifftop wine village of Vrbnik on the east coast of Krk, Croatia

Village

Vrbnik

Krk · Kvarner & Islands

QUICK INFORMATION

CATEGORY
Village
COUNTRY
Croatia
REGION
Krk · Kvarner & Islands
DURATION
1–2 days

ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION

Vrbnik is the most characterful village on Krk, a cluster of stone houses perched on a vertical cliff above the sea on the island’s wild east coast. It is the home of Žlahtina, the crisp white wine grown only in the vineyards around the village, and of Klančić, said to be the narrowest street in the world — a gap between two houses that you pass through sideways. The village is the wine and viewpoint stop of any island circuit.

HISTORY & BACKGROUND

The story behind it

Vrbnik grew as a medieval Glagolitic village on its clifftop site, defensible and close to the vineyards that have always been its livelihood. The Glagolitic script was used here into the early modern period, and the village’s stone houses and lanes survive largely from the medieval and Venetian periods. Žlahtina, the local white wine, has been grown around Vrbnik for centuries and is native to this stretch of the island.

WHAT TO SEE

What to see here

01

Klančić, the famously narrow street between two stone houses.

02

The clifftop viewpoint over the east coast and the sea.

03

The wine-cellars serving Žlahtina from the surrounding vineyards.

04

The old parish church and the Glagolitic heritage of the village.

WHY IT MATTERS

Why it matters

Vrbnik is the village that gives Krk its inland character — wine, cliffs and stone lanes rather than beaches and resorts — and the place to taste the island’s native wine. For a visitor it is the essential east-coast stop.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Before you go

Access
A 20-minute drive from Krk town on the east-coast road; park at the edge of the village and walk in.
Best Time
Spring to autumn for the vineyards; the cellars are open through the day in season.
Pairing
Combine with the east-coast coves and a swim stop.

MAP & LOCATION

Vrbnik

Vrbnik, Krk, Kvarner & Islands, Croatia

45.0792, 14.6758

Open in OpenStreetMap

FOOD & DRINK

Where to eat nearby

01

Konoba Nono — island cooking in Krk town

02

Vrbnik’s wine-cellars for Žlahtina

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HOTELS & STAYS

Where to stay nearby

01

Hotel Malin — resort base in Malinska

02

Old-town apartments in Krk town

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INTERESTS

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PART OF

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